President Paul Kagame has criticised sanctions imposed on Rwanda over the battle in jap DR Congo, saying the measures have added to current issues with out addressing the foundation causes of the disaster.
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At a press convention on Monday, August 24, Kagame mentioned worldwide strain on Rwanda had completed little to resolve the battle, arguing that sanctions give attention to punishment relatively than the problems which have sustained instability in jap DR Congo.
The US imposed sanctions on the Rwanda Defence Power (RDF) and 4 senior commanders on March 2, accusing the military of offering operational assist to AFC/M23 and violating commitments beneath the Washington Accords signed by Rwanda and DR Congo in December 2025.
Rwanda rejected the measures as one-sided, arguing that they focused one social gathering to the peace course of whereas failing to carry the Congolese authorities accountable for its commitments beneath the accords.
Kagame mentioned the sanctions had solely compounded the present issues.
“Sanctions, sure, they actually create issues. They do. However that’s all. There are issues added to the issues that had been initially there. That's all. It's not something to do with making an attempt to deal with the issue.”
He questioned the logic of sanctioning Rwanda and AFC/M23 whereas failing to deal with the function of the FDLR and the persecution of Congolese Tutsi communities in jap DR Congo, which Rwanda says are among the many components driving the battle.
“Particularly for those who take a look at the style wherein they’re utilized. As an alternative of sanctioning FDLR or those that work with them or assist them, they sanction those that struggle them. I imply, I don't perceive the logic.”
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Kagame mentioned makes an attempt to clarify the disaster primarily by means of Rwanda's involvement overlook different actors, together with the Congolese authorities, neighbouring nations and the worldwide neighborhood.
“There are numerous events to this drawback. One is Congo. The opposite is the worldwide neighborhood that has actually tousled this entire factor from the start as we all know it. There may be Rwanda. There are different nations in our area.”
He mentioned failing to think about how every actor has contributed to the disaster had allowed the battle to persist.
“No one addresses the foundation explanation for this drawback. I haven't heard of any effort to date that focuses and tries to deal with the foundation trigger.”
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Kagame additionally rejected what he described as makes an attempt to painting Rwanda as the principle explanation for the disaster in jap DR Congo, arguing that the battle entails Congolese communities in addition to political and safety actors inside DR Congo.
He mentioned the battle that escalated in 2022 didn’t originate in Rwanda and questioned why Rwanda continued to be handled because the central situation.
“Even the origin of this battle, as we all know it, which began in, is it 2022? … How did it begin? Truly, this battle was began by Congo itself.”
Kagame mentioned Rwanda had as a substitute continued to give attention to the safety risk posed by the FDLR and had repeatedly raised the problem as a part of efforts to guard its nationwide safety.
He mentioned Rwanda would proceed taking measures it considers obligatory to guard itself whereas additionally working with different nations in the direction of peace.
“We’ll do what is correct to guard ourselves, and we’ll do it with out worry, favour, day or night time, any time.”
“Rwanda, we would like peace to the purpose that we’re able to struggle for it.”
UN specialists’ framing of disaster questioned
Kagame additionally criticised the narratives offered by the UN Group of Consultants on DR Congo, saying they typically body the origins of the disaster too narrowly and fail to adequately think about its deeper historic context.
He questioned whether or not the composition and strategy of the group allowed it to correctly study the roots of a battle with a for much longer historical past.
“The composition has a reference to the historical past of this drawback for most likely centuries. So these are the people who find themselves presupposed to be understanding the foundation causes of issues now we have to take care of. And so they body it like the foundation causes are simply latest.”
Kagame mentioned the group appeared to choose a selected narrative after which low cost info that didn’t match it.
“They discuss with their individuals who have already framed a story that folks should imagine. To not handle the issue, however to deal with it the way in which they need.”
He mentioned Rwanda had supplied info and entry to former FDLR combatants who might provide first-hand accounts of the battle, however that such proof was typically disregarded.
“It's not one, it's not two, it's like tons of of testimonies. However they nonetheless come again to what they need. Every thing shall be rubbished, put apart, and so they deliver you again to what they need you to observe.”
The criticism comes as implementation of the Washington Accords stays central to efforts to discover a political settlement.
The accords, signed by Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi on December 4, 2025, had been supposed to supply a framework for ending the battle. They adopted the Washington Peace Settlement signed by the 2 nations' international ministers on June 27, 2025.
Rwanda has maintained that implementation have to be reciprocal, with Kinshasa addressing its commitments whereas Kigali undertakes its personal obligations.
Kagame mentioned Rwanda would however stay engaged in efforts to discover a resolution.
“We stay the course and hold contributing to what can discover a resolution. Assist us discover a resolution.”
For Rwanda, he mentioned, the instant precedence was to stay safe whereas persevering with to push for peace.
“If this drawback of FDLR will not be resolved, after all Rwanda will at all times stay concerned as a part of this drawback. There aren’t any two methods about it.”
“We’ve got been making an attempt to staff up with different nations in bringing peace in several elements of our continent. And that merely underlines how a lot we would like peace. Rwanda, we would like peace to the purpose that we’re able to struggle for it.”
